Tired of being the good guy? In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions, you can take your pick.

Nintendo revamped this classic game for a whole new generation of players—not surprising, since nostalgia is in. Fans of the original game will recognize familiar graphics, just with an updated look from when the game originally made its debut as the first Mario & Luigi game on the Game Boy Advance in 2003. This version is compatible with the entire Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

In this renewed storyline, Mario and Luigi are on a quest with Bowser to the Beanbean Kingdom on a mission to restore Princess Peach’s voice. The princess’ voice was replaced with explosives, so Bowser obviously couldn’t kidnap her yet, in fears that she would destroy his castle. It was in Bowser’s best interest to go along with Mario and Luigi to save her.

Players will begin the game on Mario and Luigi’s side of the quest, and will be able to control the duo simultaneously to use both of their powers in battles. If you’re a newbie to these series, it will take a moment to get used to walking around with both of them at once, but it’s intuitive enough to get the hang of it within a couple of minutes of playing.

As Mario and Luigi journey beyond the Mushroom Kingdom, the cheeky plumbers will solve puzzles and encounter various enemies. Each brother will bring something different to the table, so it’s crucial for players to switch between the two characters to progress to new areas in the game.

Encountering the baddies in Beanbean Kingdom takes some strategy. Some of them will attack as you come up to them, or you can initiate a battle by jumping on top of one of them (Hey, I would also probably initiate a battle if I suddenly was jumped on IRL). Players can time their button presses to skillfully dodge enemy blows, land counter attacks, and inflict increased damage in battle. Plus, Mario and Luigi’s Bros. Actions will dish out even more damage, and you’ll gain these attacks as you progress in the game.

The remake also includes Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser Mode, which tells the story of the game from the perspective of Bowser’s minions. What’s great about this game is that it’s not just bonus content that will be finished in an hour or so. It’s a whole new side to the story, pretty much a behind the scenes look at what happens when you’re not playing the game through Mario and Luigi’s eyes.

In this brand-new mode, players will become the unlikely hero Captain Goomba and journey with the guys you normally don’t root for, such as ShyGuy, Boo, and others. There are more than 50 minions to recruit, which will take a lot of strategy!

This updated version is also compatible with amiibo figures from the Super Mario series, including Mario and Luigi, and (coming soon) Goomba and Koopa. The Goomba, Koopa Troopa, and Boo amiibo figures will each have read/write capability. Players will be able to tap in their amiibo accessory to score new characters, game modes, and other perks.

Players can join Mario and Luigi or Bowser’s Minions in this updated version of the game. Fans of the original game won’t be playing the same game twice, and younger players will get to experience this classic in an all-new way.

This review was originally published on the Toy Insider. 

About the author

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik is the senior editor at the Pop Insider, best known as the resident Insta Queen, where she fuels her geeky heart with the latest entertainment and pop culture news. She travels to different stations in the U.S. and Canada to show all her fav products on TV! Maddie is also an editor at the Toy Insider, the leading consumer holiday gift guide and toy review and news website, and serves as the editor-in-chief of leading trade magazine The Toy Book and weekly e-newsletter Toy Report, keeping the toy industry up to date with the latest happenings. Her love for consuming media is surpassed only by her love creating it (especially when she gets to talk about her favorite things). She is a Leslie Knope in training, and you can often find her rereading the Harry Potter series with a cup of coffee in her hand and patiently waiting for the next season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. See more of Maddie on Twitter and Instagram @MaddieMichalik.

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